This invention relates to a buoyant exercising device that is used while sitting or standing in water. The advantages of exercise performed in water are well known; it alleviates much of the stress imposed on the exerciser's joints, it increases the exerciser's caloric consumption as her body attempts to counter the cooling effect of the water, and finally, it makes the exercising experience more pleasant.
The exercising device of the present invention makes use of the above advantages of water exercise while providing a means to stress the exerciser's muscles that does not require the lifting and handling of any significant amount of weight. This aspect is especially important to those persons who desire to exercise but lack the physical strength to handle heavy weights for an extended period of time. Since the exercise device of the present invention is buoyant, the exerciser will accomplish the desired stressing of his muscles by attempting to pull or push the device below the surface of the water and by resisting the device's tendency to float to the surface. Furthermore, the buoyancy of the device will assist the exerciser in maintaining her balance while she exercises in the water.
Conventional weight resistance exercising devices are also difficult to use by those persons who lack hand dexterity, such as those persons afflicted with arthritis, since they require the exerciser to firmly grasp a hard, usually metal bar in order to employ the device. The present invention eliminates this problem by employing a padded bar and floats made from relatively soft material so that every part of the exercise device can be comfortably grasped by the exerciser.